An Illegal Summons and Arrest Quota System Used by the Police Department to Discipline and Retaliate Against Police Officers that Refuse to Arbitrarily Target Minority Communities of Color
Date: Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Time: 11:00 AM
Location: Front of Main Entrance of 1 Police Plaza
At this press conference we will expose a new form of this illegal summons and arrest quota system, currently being used by the NYPD. A quota system that turns our community into a feeding ground where Police Officers earn points to stay in Precinct specialized units. Members of the New York City Police Department, Grand Council of Guardians and other concerned groups, will join us.
It is unfortunate that another generation of Police Officers has to relive the atrocities that had befallen the generation before them. The sacrifices of that generation may have been for nothing, if Mayor de Blasio, City Counsel Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and Police Commissioner William Bratton do nothing to address the illegal summons and arrest quote system of former Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly. Police Commissioner Kelly created a system that till this day punishes Police Officers who refuse to blindly, systematically and criminally persecute communities of color using an illegal summons and arrest quota system that continues to disenfranchise minority communities.
In 1999 the National Latino Officers Association brought about a class-action lawsuit against the New York City Police Department, which was ultimately settled. This cost the City of New York over 26 million dollars to settle claims of Hispanic and African American Police Officers that suffered discipline in a discriminatory fashion and reprisals when they complained.
Unfortunately here we are again, and this time all rank and file Police Officers and members of the minority communities are both victims of an illegal summons and arrest quota system that pits Police Officers against minority residences and visitors. We stand today with Mr. Emeka Nwokoro, attorney representing Police Officers that have been targeted because they had the courage to stand for what’s right. We are asking for those Police Officers that have been unfairly targeted and disciplined because of an illegal summons and arrest quota system to come forward and reach out to Mr. Nwokoro and our Organization’s leadership.
Some forms of discipline were unofficial leaving Police Officers in a state of career purgatory (i.e. denial of Commanding Officer Recommendation for Transfer, Discretionary Precinct Assignment and/or Promotion, Regular Assignment to Unfavorable Post, etc.). Together we will change this practice. Hopefully through this litigation and dialogue with Mayor de Blasio, City Counsel Speaker Mark- Viverito and Police Commissioner Bratton, this enforcement strategy can stop.
For more information, please contact:
Anthony Miranda (646) 772-3728
Charles Billups (917) 864-6084
Noel Leader (917) 335-2784
